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Oct 25, 2021
I have never once in my life played a game of Volleyball. I have never once in my life had any interest in taking up the sport of Volleyball. Now did Haikyuu change that for me? Was Haikyuu the first step to making me into a full fledged Volleyball enthusiast? No.
However, for what it is, and all it is is a manga about a high school men's volleyball team, it is fantastic. Yes, it is 400 chapters of volleyball, but the only real complaint I have for the series is that since it is really only about volleyball the author was fairly restricted with what
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he could do to spice things up over the course of the series. Now it may sound as though all I have done is talk bad about Haikyuu, but I mean to do the opposite here.
I am someone with absolutely no interest in the sport of Volleyball, however Haikyuu, a manga solely about volleyball, managed to hold my attention for 400 chapters with just that. Superb character development, thrilling matches, and easy to follow game occurrences had me on the edge of my seat are sprinkled throughout the series.
This review may sound conceited as all I have talked about is myself, but I am merely using myself as an example here. What I'm trying to say is that the story of Haikyuu is engaging enough that someone like me who had no knowledge or interest in Volleyball could thoroughly enjoy it in still black and white panels for 400 chapters.
So if you are like me and have no interest in Volleyball, I still recommend you give Haikyuu a shot. Around chapter 20 there is a practice match between the main school Karasuno, and a rival school named Nekoma. It does not last long, but the way that match is written is how every match for the rest of the series is written. So if you enjoyed that small scrimmage, you will enjoy the bigger more developed matches, and if you don't, then there is no point in continuing on.
As for the ending of the series, it was one of the most if not the most fulfilling ending I have ever read in manga to date. Without spoiling anything, the best way I can describe the final match is that it was a match I was not expecting, but am so glad it happened. Those last 20 or so chapters made the previous 380 worth my time, and I think it will be worth yours too.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 25, 2021
The plot of Souboutei Kowasubeshi is just as the English translation states, Souboutei Must Be Destroyed. The plot of this manga? There is a mansion known as Souboutei, and it must be destroyed.
Ideally, I feel going into this manga only accompanied with that info alone will grant you the most enjoyment out of this series, as it has one of the craziest and convoluted yet consistent plotlines I have ever read. So I heavily implore you to stop reading this review here and just go read the first chapter. Taking the blind plunge into the insanity of what lies behind Souboutei's walls is half the
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fun of this manga.
But for those not convinced, here is some background of what the story entails:
What does an intergalactic war between two liquid species and paintings that drag you into them and show you your deepest and darkest insecurities have to do with each other?
Who is this mysterious man painting within Souboutei and why does he seem unphased by possessed Imperial Japanese Military Police who patrol the mansion, or the hordes of zombies, or the mysterious little girl who bounces a ball and sings a nursery rhyme?
Where did a plane that disappeared 60 years ago come from, and why onboard is a monster child whose hands become drills?
All these question are not only answered, but are all just fragments of the bigger picture in Souboutei Must Be Destroyed, a series that had some crazy twist seemingly every chapter for what felt like 100 chapters straight.
And the cast is just as colorful as plotline: A struggling children's book author, an ordinary boy with a shaman older sister, the said monster whose hands turn to drills, a mad scientist and his daughter who can teleport objects with her mind, an elderly couple who deals in exorcisms and uses a burnt baby doll to shoot fire balls, three sisters with psychic abilities, a bandaged Imperial Japanese Military Lieutenant accompanied by a woman covered head to toe in black whose face is hidden and hair can heal all wounds, and a modern day JSDF Lieutenant trying to reign them all in.
It has been extremely difficult to write this review without making myself feel like I spoiled something. But if you are still wondering if this manga is worth a chance, then all I ask is that you read the first chapter. Souboutei Kowasubeshi is the first series in over 8 years that had gotten me fully invested in the plot from the first chapter, and I believe it may do the same for you.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 2, 2021
I had read well over 100 manga by the time I got around to reading Bokkou, and I had not and still haven't seen a series lose the plot as much as this series has. (The Promised Neverland comes the closest)
Had the series stayed and solely focused on the siege, then I personally feel it would have been much more enjoyable. But instead it goes off on some adventure that made little sense to me and just felt like a cop out at the fact the author lost interest in his original vision for the series.
The only reason I read this series to completion is
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because it is set during the Warring States Period of China. As both a history buff and fan of the series Kingdom, I simply wanted to see how the series would handle the time period.
If you want a manga about ancient chinese warfare, don't bother reading Bokkou, go read Kingdom instead.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Oct 2, 2021
Keyman: The Hand of Judgment is one of the most misleading series I have ever read, and I mean that as a complement. Everything from the story's plot, direction, characters, and world are not at all what I expected them to end up being at the end when I finished the first chapter.
What started off as an innocent story of a T-Rex police officer and a mysterious little girl attemtping to solve the murder of who killed the hero Keyman suddenly takes an abrubt turn into a much darker and thrilling tale. I cannot say what this new direction is without major spoilers, but
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know that small questions such as "Why do beastmen exist in this world" are not only unexpectadly answered as the series acts as if it perfectly normal at first, but it is one of the many dark and jaw dropping twists of this series. It's a series that you can't read for a second time with the same outlook as the first due to the foreknowldge of the end.
The series does not shy away from mature topics, some of which may even make you feel alittle uncomfortable upon its revelation. But for me, it just made it that more engaging as it showed that it was purely the author's vision of the story without any sort of outside hinderence or censorship.
The artstyle can seem a bit conveluted at times especially during action sequences, making it difficult to see what exactly just happened. But do not let that discourage you as the series does have some phenominal artwork.
All in all, Keyman is a series that will surprise you when you least expect it, and by the time you digest the revelation just thrown at you, the series will slap you with another. It is a series definetly worth your time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Oct 2, 2021
I have read alot of Shounen battle manga. Any big name series you can think of, I have probably read it, whether to completion or gave it a fair shot before dropping it. I am a sucker for stories about the teenage kid who gains supernatural abilities and uses said abilities to thrawt evil and save the world. From starting the first chapter to catching up to the latest, in this aspect, World Trigger is no different from any other battle shounen. However, it managed to subvert my expectations in ways that not even HxH has been able to do for me.
For starters, the main
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cast forming a group is nothing new, Naruto's team 7 is a prime example of this. Continuing with Naruto as the example, the idea of teamwork is only there for an arc or two before the plot starts to focus on individual character fights rather than team work. In World Trigger however, team work is essential. I can only think of one or two fights where a single individual was needed in order to win the battle. The well thought out tactics each and every team comes up with and put into practice allowed for some of the most interesting and thrilling fights I've read.
The supernatural abilities in World Trigger are not only unique, but allow the author alot more creative freedom when it comes to battles. Trion (Chakra, Haki, Nen equivilent for reference) at first doesn't sound like anything you have never heard of before. The difference here is that Trion isn't harnessed through the power of will, but through a technological suit the characters wear to harness this inherit power all humans have. The Trion Body as it is known, acts as a special layer of power for the characters, however when a character runs out of Trion, the suit launches the main body back to a secure base. To me, this is genius. This allowed the author to literally decapitate main characters in fights they cannot win without killing them off. There are no fights that I can think of that the main cast survived due to any sort of asspull for lack a better term. If they lost the fight, they lost, no last second powerup, no savior at the last moment, an unwinnable battle is simply that. This circles back to what I said earlier about team work in the series, this forces the cast to come up with well thought out stretgies to get the upper hand on their oppenent in a much more grounded way than any other battle manga I've read up to this point. The amount of creativity in the Trion weapons is also strong point for me. Short range weapons such as swords and axes, medium range weapons such as bombs and guns, and even long range sniper rifles are just some of the many forms Trion takes in World Trigger which allows for each fight to be different from the last while still being consistant with the rules of the world that author has crafted.
The final big takeaway for me is the character development shown. The main character has a much more mature attitude than other shonen protagonists I have seen. This is a bit of a spoiler so caution ahead, but the way Osamu, the mc, handles his defeats is what subverted my expectations the most in this series. Rather than gritting his teeth, training everyday, and using the power of his will and friendship to overcome hurdles, Osamu instead decides to focus on what his strengths are rather than overcoming his weaknesses. Now that may sound off at first, but in tandem with the team battle aspect of the series, it works perfectly. Instead of trying to be both the ace and captain of his group, he comes to the conclusion that playing a support role for his ace as captain will and does lead to a higher rate of sucess. This conclusion that the mc comes to was a breath of fresh air for me. Rather than the main character merely percerviering like usual, or subverting tropes by having the character go down a darker path using questionable methods, seeing the main character coming to the very grounded and mature conclusion that he doesn't need to be the star of the show everytime was a development I never expected.
The world building in this series is also unique to the point that I am unable to think of any other series to use as a reference to prevent spoiling some of the twists and reveals as to who or what exactly the "Neighbors" are.
In terms of criticisms, I felt the beginning of the story to have too many info dumps and character introductions that made the first 20 chapters feel a bit overwhelming. The art is a bit bland at first, but it does grow on you as you continue along and remains consitant throughout.
In conclusion, World Trigger has alot of heart. The author cares about the story he is telling and it shows in the creativity and depth he gives both the characters and the world. If you are like me and are looking for a battle manga that is same but also different from its counter parts, or you dislike the same old tropes that plague the genre. I heavely implore you to give World Trigger a chance, it may exceed your expectations as it did mine.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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